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' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. SYLVBSTER. DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING PICTURES, ADVERTISEMENTS, &c.

.No. 606,173. Patented June 21, 1898.

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. SYLVBSTER. DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING PICTURES, ADVERTISEMENTS, &c.

Patented June 21,1898.

jiewizzor file hraZAyZwfiwr RICHARD SYLVESTER, OF. WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING PlCTU RES, ADVERTISEMENTS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,173, dated June 1, 1898.

Application filed May 14, 1898.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD SYLVESTER, a;

citizen of the United States, residing at 1V ashington, in the District of Columbia, have in-' for displaying pictures, advertisements, photographs, and the like; and it has for its ob-' ject to provide a device of this character which shall afford means for securely storing or filing away such pictures, advertisements, or other matter to prevent observation or molestation thereof when it is undesirable that they should be seen, and which shall also afford ready and convenient means to facilitate handling of the same for observation or reference when so desired.

\Vhile myinvention, broadly considered, is applicable for use for the purpose to which devices of the character above indicated are generally put, I have nevertheless designed the same especially for use in detective bu reaus, police headquarters, or, in brief, any place where photographs and records are kept of criminals, my aim being to provide a more convenient means for handling or consulting such photographs or records than now exist.'

At the police headquarters and detective bureaus of the larger cities of this and other countries a photograph is taken and a record kept of every criminal arrested. This record consists of measurements of various parts of the criminals body, a memorandum of any peculiar mark he may carry which would tend to distinguish him from others, the color of his eyes and hair, a brief history of the crimes he may have committed, if such are known, and any other matter which would aid in identifying him. This record is usually pasted on the reverse side of the card carrying his photograph, and the whole is filed away for reference. A system of exchange exists between the larger cities ofthis country, and two photographs, a front and a side view, of a criminal arrested in one city are sent to each of the other cities, together with the record, to be kept for reference. These photographs accumulate by the thousands at the'various headquarters, and some better means than 'ter about in the line of vision.

Serial No. 680,722. No model.)

. now exist has long been desired which would permit such photographs to be filed away where they would be secure from observation and molestation and be protected from light and dust and at the same time afford a ready means of access for reference when desired;

Having thus outlined the special uses and objects of my invention, I will now proceed to describe the construction of the samein detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional end view of my improved device, a frame-support with a piccure-carrying frame being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a front view of the device, the lid bein g shown broken away. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a picture-carrying frame.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates the casing of my improved device, which is oblong in shape and is designed to be secured in any suitable manner to the wall of a room and at a height that will bring its longitudinal cen- The front of this casing is open and is designed to be closed by a removable closure 2, which is provided on its bottom edge with one or more studs or tongues 3, which are designed when the closure is applied to the front of the easing to fit'into sockets 4, provided in the bottom of the casing near the front edge. A

look 5 is provided in theupper part of the door for securing the closure in place. To facilitate handling the closure, it is provided with handholds 6 on its front face.

Secured on the inner side of the back 7 of the casing and near the top and bottom thereof, respectively, are two longitudinally-exo tending angle-irons 8 9, one flange 10 11, respectively, of each of which projects at right angles to the back 7. These angle-irons are parallel to each other, and their flanged extensions are provided with coincident apertures, in which are pivotally mounted the frame-supports 12, to be now described. Each frame-support comprises a vertical rod 13, the opposite ends of which project through corresponding openings in the flanges 10 and 11. I00 Secured near opposite ends of the rod 13, but within the flange 10 and 11, are arms 14 15, in the outer ends of which is centrally and pivotally supported, as by means of screws 16,

.with a longitudinal slot 20, as shown in Fig.

4, to permit a number of photographs 21 to be sprung in between two bars and be held securely in place. The upper and lower members of the frame are also slotted on their inner edges to permit photographs to be secured between said members and the adjacent cross-bar, as will be understood. The angleirons 8 and 9 are farther removed from one end of the casing 1 than from the other, as shown to the left in Fig. 3, in order to permit the frame-support at that end to be turned to lie fiush with the back of the casing.

The picture-carrying frames may be made of any desired material; but for the sake of lightness I preferably form them of aluminium. The casing 1 is made of wood and may be polished and suitably ornamented.

It will be seen that by my construction a large number of photographs may be stored in a very compact manner and at the same time admit of being readily inspected. In practice the frames are all numbered and an index is kept of each photograph stating by which frame it is carried. hen it is desired to refer to a given frame, or if all of them have to be examined, the closure is unlocked and removed and the frame supports are swung to one side (the right, as shown in the drawings) until the required or any desired frame carrying a photograph of a criminal whose record is to be examined is reached, when it may be axially rotated to bring the reverse side of the frame to view, by which means the records 22 on the backs of the photographs may be consulted.

Then not in use, the frame-supports are all swung to one side, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the closure 2 applied to the casing and locked,when the photographs will be protected from light and dust as well as molestation by unauthorized persons.

As previously stated, while I have designed my device for the special uses above indicated,

it is apparent that it is equally susceptible of use by photographers and advertisers in displaying samples, cards, advertising matter, and the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Adevice for displaying photographs, and the like, comprising a casing, two parallel, horizontally-disposed angle-irons secured on the inner side of the back thereof, a series of frame-supports pivotally mounted in said angle-irons, and a series of picture-carrying frames pivotally mounted in said frame-supports and axially revoluble therein, substantially as described.

2. A device for displayingphotographs, and the like, comprising a casing, two parallel, horizontally-disposed angle-irons secured on the inner side of the back thereof, and provided with a series of apertures, a series of framesupports pivotally mounted in said casing, each of which comprises a rod, the opposite ends of which pass through corresponding apertures in said angle-irons, and arms extending at right angles to said rod at points near its upper and lower ends, respectively, and a picture-carrying framepivotally mounted in the outer ends of said arms and free to revolve axially on its supports, substantially as described.

3. In a device for displaying photographs, and the like, the, combination with an oblong casing, of two parallel, horizontally-(Iisposed angle-irons secured on the inner side of the back thereof and provided with a series of apertures, a series of frame-supports pivotally mounted in said casing, each of which comprises a vertical rod, the opposite ends of which pass through corresponding apertures in said angle-irons, arms extending at right angles to said rod and secured thereto at points near its upper and lower ends, respectively, and brace-rods connecting said arms and said vertical rod, and a picture-carrying frame pivotally mounted in the outer ends of said arms and free to revolve axially on its supports, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD SYLVESTER.

Witnesses:

HARRY L. Gnssronn, JAMES A. KEMP. 

